Dawn Rye | Writer
According to the South Dakota Department of Transportation, crews will begin a $4.3 million federally funded project on S.D. Highway 19 from S.D. Highway 42 to 277th Street at the intersection starting Monday, April 5.
The project consists of cold milling, asphalt resurfacing, additional left-turn lanes, intersection improvements, culvert work, end block modifications, bridge end backfill, approach slabs, pavement marking and guardrail. The completion date for the project is this Novembe. Traffic on Highway 19 will be directed through the project with lane closures to a single lane for each direction at several bridge locations and throughout the mainline during the resurfacing process. Commercial Asphalt of Mitchell will place portable traffic control signals on both bridges north of Parker. Motorists should be prepared for delays with an anticipated signal wait time of up to 10 minutes. Access would be maintained for Parker residents and businesses and drivers are asked to be aware of the construction workers and equipment adjacent to the driving lane.
Project Engineer Corey McClelland said approximately 10 years ago was the last time Highway 19 received an upgrade. The project is to add a turning lane and upgrade with all the bridgework’s conglomeration and make the transition from the road to over the railroad crossings smoother for the motorist. He explained that the transition from the road over the bridge would be effortless without the bumps when drivers approach the bridge.
Once the project is complete, the surface will be smoother with no potholes, pavement markings will be more visible and new safety features would be added to the guard rail.
